Jake Paul beats Tyron Woodley in split decision: Round-to-round fight coverage
Is the rematch on?
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Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley is now over, with Paul winning a split decision over former UFC welterweight champion Woodley Sunday night at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. It was a compelling fight, but the split decision doesn't do justice to Paul, who, outside of one scare during the fourth round, appeared to win pretty convincingly.
In the aftermath, Paul appeared keen to take a break, given his busy schedule in 2021. Woodley on the other hand was convinced he won and demanded a rematch. Paul said if he honors a bet, made earlier, to get "I love Jake Paul" tattooed on his body, he'll do the rematch. Interesting.
See below for our round-by-round coverage of the fight.
Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley
Jake Paul at the press conference earlier this week.
Round 1
And we're off. Woodley swings wild to open. Is now trying to walk Paul down, but the size difference is noticeable. Paul is trying to lead with the jab and is doing so effectively. Woodley seems a little frozen and struggling with the range. Paul on the other hand is getting comfy in there.
Our score: 10-9 Paul
Round 2
Paul lands with a big right to open, but Woodley is trying to cut him off. Paul is not having it. Low activity round so far and Woodley is biting too hard on the feints. Not much happening here and Woodley is down another round.
Our score: 10-9 Paul
Round 3
Already a better round for Woodley but Paul comes back. Woodley is trying to get inside and gets countered for it. Paul is looking good so far, this could be a long night for Woodley.
Our score: 10-9 Paul
Round 4
Paul's punches looking a little less discipled now. Tyron seems like he can get inside better now and is landing the better shots.
Woodley lands a big shot and Paul is rocked. He almost goes down and desperately tries to recover. He makes it out of the round but man... Now we have a fight!
Our score: 10-9 Woodley
Round 5
Paul looks very tired now and this could be a big problem because Woodley is just getting started. This could be an interesting final three rounds. Woodley should be pressing but he's slowing down here. Still, this is Woodley's round.
Our score: 10-9 Woodley
Round 6
Paul seems to have regained a bit of steam here, landing shots on Woodley and getting his combinations going. Woodley has slowed down and seems to be chasing a one shot kill. This is anyone's round to steal, but in the end it looks like Paul took it.
Our score: 10-9 Paul
Round 7
Woodley's corner is urgent. It appears they know they need a KO at this point. He comes out more aggressive but it doesn't take much to put him back in his shell. But Paul's punches are sloppy and surely Woodley could counter here.
Paul looks tired but Woodley simply isn't doing enough here.
Our score: 10-9 Woodley
Round 8
Final round and surely Woodley needs a stoppage here. He comes out with some tight offence and lands some shorts, but it's not enough. Paul can easily cruise to a victory here. Woodley is pot-shotting now when he really needs something definitive.
In the end he wins the round on my scorecard, but he has almost certainly lost the fight.
Our score: 10-9 Woodley
Jake Paul wins by split decision
Amanda Serrano vs. Yamileth Mercado
Amanda Serrano, one of the pound-for-pound best female boxers on the planet.
Our co-main event is the sole women's fight on the card.
Amanda Serrano, the champion, is the overwhelming favourite in this contest. Yamileth Mercado hasn't been given much of a chance by oddsmakers here, but this is boxing and anything can happen.
But Serrano is one of the best female boxers ever. She hasn't lost in over 10 years and I can't imagine her losing here.
Round 1
Okay here we go. This could be a real showcase for Serrano. Can't wait to see what she can do in this spotlight.
Serrano comes out super aggressive, huge volume early. But she gets a little stung by a great shot from Mercado. Doesn't appear to phase her though. Quite a tight round all up.
Our score: 10-9 Serrano
Round 2
Mercado isn't exactly out of her depth in this fight, but she is losing. Serrano is marching forward and landing heavy shots, Mercado is landing a few here and there, but Serrano takes the round.
Our score: 10-9 Serrano
Round 3
Fantastic exchanges here with Mercado and Serrano trading blows. Mercado has a chin on her, but she's also landing here. This fight is being fought at a tremendous pace.
Our score: 10-9 Serrano
Round 4
Serrano is slowing the pace down here and pot shotting her jab a little more. She's managed to catch Mercado coming in a few times. Nice round from Serrano, but Mercado maybe stole the round at the end there with a flurry.
Our score: 10-9 Mercado
Round 5
These rounds are rattling in, with the two minute rounds. Mercado has earned Serrano's respect. Serrano isn't just running in for knockout shots, she's trying to out-box Mercado and it's working. Great shots at the end of the round there.
Our score: 10-9 Serrano
Round 6
Serrano boxing well from the outside, but Mercado landed one helluva body shot. In fact both women are landing to the body frequently. Serrano is really finding her range here and looked to have hurt Mercado at one point.
Our score: 10-9 Serrano
Round 7
Serrano is looking really sharp now. Completely taking over the fight with her jab. This feels like Serrano's most comfortable round.
Our score: 10-9 Serrano
Round 8
Mercado is making this more of a dogfight, digging some real body shots at close range. This is a different type of fight. A much closer round, but Serrano still takes it.
Our score: 10-9 Serrano
Round 9
Mercado is hanging in here. She's done a great job in this fight. But Serrano is walking Mercado down now, landing huge body shots. She's teeing off on Mercado now. Serrano's best round yet.
Our score: 10-9 Serrano
Round 10
Last round. Both fighters appear keen to leave it all on the canvas here. Serrano stings Mercado badly and she looks hurt. Mercando is hanging on by a thread here it seems but she survives. Great finish to a great fight.
Our score: 10-9 Serrano
Serrano wins 97-93, 98-92, 99-91 via unanimous decision.
Daniel Dubois vs. Joe Cusumano
The up-and-coming heavyweight Daniel Dubois.
This is a heavyweight fight between two well tested fighters with solid record. Daniel Dubois is the current WBA interim heavyweight champ. His only loss came at the hands of Joe Joyce last year. Joe Cusumano is a more experienced fighter. At 33 he's 10 years the senior of the 23 year old Dubois.
Round 1
These are some big boys.
Blam! Cusumano goes down early after a series of hard shots from Dubois. He's back up and ooft, they're swinging. Cusumano goes down again, then for a THIRD time and it's all over in round 1.
Damn, this Dubois guy can hit. That was a wild, wild round of boxing.
Daniel Dubois win via TKO in the first round.
Ivan Baranchyk vs. Montana Love
Ivan Baranchyk during an open workout.
This should be a good one. A well matched fight between two up-and-comers. Baranchyk is ranked the fourth best active light-welterweight in the world by The Ring, Love is still undefeated. This should be a high level scrap.
Round 1
Baranchyk is the aggressor early feinting Love to the ropes with jabs, but Love lands with a straight down the pipe. Love started to loosen up in the second half of the round with slick defence and sharp shots. Baranchyk landed heavy in the last 30 seconds.
Tough one to call.
Our score: 10-9 Love
Round 2
Baranchyk come out more aggressive in the opening seconds, but Love is landing. A couple of nice body shots and a great uppercut. Also the check hook is money for Love, he's landing it over and over. He's taking over this fight.
Our score: 10-9 Love
Round 3
Again Baranchyk comes out with urgency, but he's missing big against Love. Just great footwork. He has gotten caught a couple of time though.
And whoa... Baranchyk unloads. He's stunned Love but he manages to stay on his feet. Baranchyk is going hard now, this is clearly his round. Huge moment. Massive flurry at the end there and Love catches Baranchyk clean with a wild hook that almost floors him. Wow. What a round.
Our score: 10-9 Baranchyk
Round 4
Baranchyk is just clipping Love now. The shots Love was evading now seem more dangerous. Love is standing his ground more now, though and is outlanding Baranchyk. Great round for Love who appears to stun Baranchyk and then pauses to admire the shot.
Our score: 10-9 Love
Round 5
Love's check hook can't miss at this point. His counters are sharp and Baranchyk is struggling. He's still marching forward though -- this is a great fight.
Just when Love seemed to be landing at will, Baranchyk landed clean and hard. Man this fight rules.
Our score: 10-9 Love
Round 6
A much quieter round in the first minute. Love getting the best of the exchanges so far, with guard splitting straights. Love appears to have recovered just fine from that big shot at the end of the fifth round.
Our score: 10-9 Love
Round 7
Love smells blood here, he's marching forward for the first time in the fight, wailing on Baranchyk. Love is just too slick for Baranchyk, whose punches have lost a bit of sting. Baranchyk misses a massive shot and falls over. He needs a knockout now you suspect.
Whoa, an incredible counter shot sends Baranchyk to the floor right at the end of the round. Incredibly clean shot.
Our score: 10-8 Love
And Baranchyk's corner waves it off. The fight is over. Montana Love takes it by TKO.
Tommy Fury vs. Anthony Taylor
Yes, he's related to Tyson Fury.
Tommy Fury is the brother of current heavyweight king Tyson Fury. He's a lot younger, a lot more handsome and he's currently unbeaten with six wins. Anthony Taylor's record isn't quite as inspiring with seven wins and five losses... in MMA. Also this fight was changed from a six round contest to a four round fight at the last minute.
Let's see how this one plays out. Many are saying Fury is next for Jake Paul if he gets past Tyron Woodley and he's a dramatic, overwhelming favourite for this one.
Round 1
Man, the height and size difference here is pretty intense. Fury looks like he's getting quite the layup here.
Fury is leading with a sharp jab and quickly lands heavy to the body. Taylor walked into a sharp uppercut and is slowly starting to get lit up here. The uppercut seems like a good shot for Fury and Taylor is swinging wild.
Our score: 10-9 Fury
Round 2
Well the predicted round 1 KO didn't happen.
Fury is landing with sharp punches, but the old MMA style overhand right is there for Taylor, who is getting outworked here. He's running out steam and energy. He survives the 2nd round, but hard to imagine him surviving this fight.
Our score: 10-9 Fury
Round 3
Taylor is spirited here and comes out aggressive. He slips early, but it's not ruled a knockdown. Fury is going hard to the body here, which is smart because he's struggling to find the head. This is probably Taylor's best round but he's still getting pieced up here.
Our score: 10-9 Fury
Round 4
Well, maybe this will go the distance!
If Fury doesn't get the knockout here, or at the very least a knockdown, it's not a good look for him. He lands a few big shots, but Taylor clinches and survives.
Taylor makes it to the bell as the crowd boos.
Our score: 10-9 Fury
Fury wins by decision 40-36 on all scorecards